A Special Collection of Mindful Minutes to Reset, Recharge, and Reconnect

In this special compilation episode, Dr. Wendy Bazilian offers a collection of “Mindful Minutes” she has shared in previous episodes for you to enjoy anytime you need a pause, a breath, or a gentle moment to ground yourself.

This episode features a string of guided Mindful Minutes from 1,000 Waking Minutes, each focusing on a different aspect of well-being under the pillars of “Eat well, Move daily, Be healthy®.”

While Wendy is currently taking a little time to rest, reconnect, and recreate with family and in nature, this episode brings together several powerful moments from previous episodes — offering you the chance to revisit them all in one place or try them for the first time.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

 (3:17) Five Senses Mini Meditation – from 'Meditate with Ease: Everyday Ways to Bring Mindfulness Into Your Life' - A 90-second practice to reconnect with your body and breath through taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.

(7:04) Synergy Visualization and Pairing Practice – from 'Why Some Foods are Better and Healthier Together (Synergy)' - A reflection on food pairings, life partnerships, and small changes that create powerful outcomes.

 (10:35) Playground Joy Visualization – from 'Why Adults Need Recess and How to Reclaim Joyful, Healthy Movement' - A playful guided memory to reconnect with joy, childhood, and the value of movement and recess for adults.

 (14:15) Criticism to Curiosity Practice – from 'How to Clear Your Mind (and Mouth) of Criticism' - A mindful pause to soften harsh inner voices and bring awareness to how we meet ourselves and others.

 (16:06) Grounding and Renewal Practice – from 'Breaking the Criticism Loop: Daily Tools for More Calm' A simple, centering practice to help anchor your awareness and re-energize your next steps.

Whether you’re listening while walking, resting, working, or winding down, this episode is yours to return to — a toolset of calm moments to keep close.

CONNECT WITH WENDY:

Follow on Instagram: @1000WakingMinutes

Visit the website: wendybazilian.com

Email me: [e-mail]

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Thank you for tuning in to 1,000 Waking Minutes and being part of this journey—together.

A huge thank you to our amazing collaborators including our production and marketing teams and Gabriela Escalante in particular. To the ultra-talented Beza for my theme music, my lifelong friend and artist Pearl Preis Photography and Design, to Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell, and of course, my family and everyone working tirelessly behind the scenes.

HEALTH DISCLAIMER:

The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individual medical or health advice. Always consult with your trusted healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medical treatment.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
For today, I've gathered several
of the Mindful Minutes that
have been part of recent
episodes.
So you can listen, breathe,
reset and practice.
Whether it's your first time
hearing them or you've joined
me before, this is something
you can come back to
again and again.
Eat well, move daily, be
healthy.

(00:21):
We experience 1,000 waking minutes
on average every day.
How are you spending yours?
I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and
you're listening to 1,000 waking
minutes.
I can't wait to connect
with you here with practical
ways to eat well, move
daily and be healthy.
To optimize every waking minute
you live for a happier,

(00:41):
healthier life.
Thank you for sharing some
of your waking minutes with
me today.
Let's get started.
I'm saying yes to better
days.
Yes, I'm on my way.
Yes, it's gonna be okay.

(01:05):
Hi there.
It's Dr. Wendy Bazilian, your
host of 1,000 waking minutes.
And today's episode is a
little different.
I'm currently taking some time
away with my family, a
chance to rest, recharge, reconnect
and recreate with each other
and with myself.
Thanks, Calli.

(01:27):
And I hope in your
own way, you're getting a
few of those moments this
season too.
While I'm away, I want
to invite you to revisit
any of the past episodes
of 1,000 waking minutes that
you may have missed.
Or re-listen to a
favorite if I offered something
meaningful to you.
I hope I have.
And if you've been curious
about meditation, or how to

(01:47):
start a simple mindfulness practice,
you might enjoy the episode
we did on meditate with
ease, everyday ways to bring
mindfulness into your life.
That episode offers some helpful
ideas on how to take
intentional breaks to support your
mental clarity, and your emotional
and physical well being.

(02:10):
And for today, I've gathered
several of the Mindful Minutes
that have been part of
recent episodes.
So you can listen, breathe,
reset, and practice at these
mindful moments, Mindful Minutes within
your day.
Whether it's your first time
hearing them or you've joined
me before, this is something

(02:30):
you can come back to
again and again.
I hope they offer you
a little calm, a little
clarity and a reminder that
taking a moment for yourself
is not only okay, it's
essential to your overall health
and wellness.
Thanks for being here to
share some Mindful Minutes with
me.
This is Wendy Bazilian, and

(02:51):
you're listening to 1,000 Waking
Minutes, along with my daughter
reminding you to eat well,
move daily, be healthy.
And until next time, be
well.

(03:17):
Something that I think you'll
enjoy, and it's called the
Five Senses Mini Meditation.
You can do it wherever
you are, whether you're sitting
or standing, even walking, you
can do this mini meditation,
just 90 seconds.
And you don't need anything
fancy to prepare.

(03:38):
So first, I'm just going
to ask you to sit
or stand comfortably with your
feet grounded for our first
time together.
And we'll start by taking
one deep breath in through
the nose and then exhale
through the mouth.
Okay, now just follow along

(04:00):
with the five senses.
First is taste.
If you have something near
like water or tea or
coffee, take a sip right
now.
And if not, just notice
the environment of your mouth
right now.
Notice the sensation.
How does it feel on

(04:20):
your tongue?
What does your tongue feel
like against the roof of
your mouth?
What's the temperature?
Is there any texture?
If you didn't have liquid
right now, try this again
later at various temperature fluids.
Next, touch.

(04:40):
Press your hands together palm
to palm or one hand
to another place on your
body.
If you only have one
hand free at the moment,
like your torso or your
leg, press and release.
Press and release.

(05:01):
Feel the contrast between tension
and relaxation with the press
and release.
Next is sight.
Look at something still, somewhere
in your room, outside, inside,
anything in your space.

(05:22):
Observe it.
Notice something about it.
No judgment.
Just notice.
And sound.
Listen.
What's the quietest sound you
can hear right now?

(05:42):
Maybe a hum in the
background?
Is it the sound of
your breath?
And finally, smell.
Notice the air around you.
If you have a candle,
a coffee, an essential oil,
food cooking on the stove,

(06:03):
take a breath in and
notice.
If there's no strong scent,
notice the neutrality of your
air right now.
That's it.
You just meditated.
Totally done.
Taste, touch, sight, sound, and
smell.

(06:23):
Five Senses Mini Meditation.
Pretty simple, right?
You brought attention to something.
You made space for your
senses.
And this is something you
can return to anytime you
need a pause in your
day.
So that's it.
That's our Mindful Minute and

(06:44):
a half.
You can literally do this
anytime.
And the more often you
take little pauses for this
minute, more or less, the
more naturally mindfulness and meditation
will come to you.
This is a time where

(07:05):
we get to measure a
minute together, take pause, reflect,
and reconnect with ourselves over
this minute.
We'll focus, of course, on
synergy, both in what we
eat, but also in life.
So I'm going to encourage
that because we know that
the power of small changes
can lead to big impact.

(07:28):
And some of these pairings
can do just that for
you.
And we're going to imagine
how pairings, how the right
pairing, whether it's food or
people or actions, can amplify
what you already have in
your life.
We're going to be thinking
about how these combinations can
bring balance and joy and

(07:50):
maybe strength into your day.
Okay, I'm going to start
our stopwatch now.
And we're just going to
breathe simply.
Inhale.
Think about something in your
routine that works well together

(08:11):
already.
Maybe something as simple as
adding lemon to your tea,
if you like that, for
an extra boost.
Or a partnership with someone
in your life that brings
you energy and joy.

(08:34):
As you continue breathing, visualize
something small you could add
to your day that would
bring more balance and nourishment,
whether it's a new food
pairing, or maybe a moment
of collaboration with someone in
your life, someone you've been
meaning to reach out to
perhaps.
Now one more deep breath.

(08:55):
And as you exhale, imagine
how these small actions, these
synergies can grow into something
bigger.
Okay.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.
It's always good to reflect
on the minutes spent.
Maybe repeat it again later

(09:17):
in your day.
And take small inventory on
some of our waking minutes.
Now we've covered some of
the science.
I've teased you with some
of the pairings.
Hopefully you're already thinking about
ways that you can pair
some of these foods together.
And I want to bring
it home and get practical
and bring it into our

(09:38):
days and into our meals.
So I'm going to give
you some easy tips that
you might try.
You'll hear me reinforce some
that I already teased to
before.
But, you know, simple small
changes that you can make
right away to get more
out of the food you're
already eating.
So let's start at the
very beginning.

(09:59):
A boost in your breakfast.
If you like oatmeal, maybe
add some walnuts and dried
cherries to it.
This simple combo, of course,
gives you that plant-based
omega-3 I talked about
in the walnuts, the shared
melatonin that both contribute, the
tart cherries give some great

(10:19):
flavor, as well as some
fiber, and also vitamin A.
And together they have some
anti-inflammatory effects and benefits
as well.
Now let's take a moment
for our Mindful Minute together.
This is your chance to

(10:40):
pause, breathe, and reconnect.
Not just with the present
today, which I want you
to do, but with a
memory that makes you smile.
This is a perfect time
to reset, recharge, and today
we'll even bring a little
play into our mind.
Start by closing your eyes,
if you're not walking or
driving, of course, or just

(11:02):
sort of tilt them down
at about a natural gaze
at about 45 degrees downward,
and relax and start some
natural breathing.
Picture your favorite playground from
when you were a kid.
Take yourself back to some
playground.
It could have been at
school, it could have been
a park, it could have
been your backyard.
What did it look like?

(11:23):
Maybe there was a towering
slide.
I remember a few that
were metal and got very
hot in the summertime myself.
Maybe a swing set that
had a rhythmic creak that
you recall or wobbled as
you tried to launch up
to the moon.
Or maybe it was the
monkey bars, you know, that
you would swing across.
Or as we sometimes manage

(11:44):
to do, I don't think
I could do it now,
climb on top of the
monkey bars and feel like
you're literally on top of
the world looking out.
So let's do one preparatory
breath together.
Take a slow deep breath
in through the nose and
let it out through the
mouth.

(12:22):
I'll standing there on the
playground.
Feel the ground under your
feet.
Was it gravel, those rubberized
wood chips or actual wood
chips, grass, concrete?
Listen for the sounds, maybe
some familiar laughter or the
rhythmic creaks of a swing

(12:43):
set, the funk of a
familiar ball hitting the pavement.
And picture yourself doing something
that you loved.
Was it the swings when
you soared higher and higher
or balancing on a curb
or a beam?
Let yourself experience a little

(13:03):
bit of that joy and
the freedom of play.
Take one last deep breath
in, let it out.
Okay, that's our Mindful Minute
plus a few seconds.
Bring back some of these
images you created and feelings
you had again during your

(13:24):
day or over the course
of the days.
And perhaps you can capture
some of that natural feeling,
that cellular and muscle memory
and the physiological feeling that
play gave you and picture
it now and again.
Thank you for taking this
time to reconnect with the

(13:44):
sense of playfulness and joy
with this.
And now we're going to
bring the lightness and energy
into the rest of our
day.
And we're going to talk
about some practical ways to
reinvent recess in your life.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.
All right, now that we've
reconnected with the joy of
recess, let's talk about some

(14:04):
practical ways you can bring
that energy into your day
to day life.
So our Mindful Minute today
is about moving from criticism
to clarity.
Okay, let's begin.

(14:26):
Bring to mind a recent
moment today, or this week,
and you felt that tug
of criticism.
Maybe it was towards someone
else.
Maybe it's toward yourself.
Nothing dramatic, just a quick
reaction or maybe a judgment
that you made.

(14:47):
Can you breathe?
Just notice that moment and
see it without fixing it.
Label it maybe like judging
or reacting.
Sort of breathe through it.
Invite in a different voice.

(15:09):
What else might be going
on here?
Could I meet this moment
with curiosity?
And let that phrase, curiosity,
echo quietly through your last
couple breaths.
Now let that moment go.

(15:32):
Let it be.
There we have it.
A little bit more than
a minute there.
I had to let go
the thing that was coming
into my mind.
It took a minute.
Sometimes it does, but we
just created a little space.
You can shift something even
just by noticing.
And that's going to be
the practice.

(15:52):
It's about awareness.
It's about taking a breath.
It's about softening how our
mind is thinking at that
moment.
That's how we begin.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.
So before we wrap up
this episode for today, I
think having a Mindful Minute
together could do us some

(16:12):
good and help us anchor
into what we talked about
today.
Help us get to that
next place and space where
we can start to do
something differently when the move
to criticism can be shifted
at least some of the
time.
And just a reminder also,
you don't need to be
anywhere special or do anything

(16:33):
fancy to have a minute
of meditation or mindfulness.
You just need your breath
and a willingness to take
pause.
So rest your feet, ground
them on the floor.
If it feels safe, sort
of soften your gaze or
even close your eyes.
Let your shoulders relax, your
hands rest, and let's take

(16:55):
one full preparation breath together.
In through your nose, out
through the mouth, and we'll
begin our Mindful Minute now
together.
Just breathe.

(17:31):
If a thought comes up,
let it pass by like
a cloud and come back
to your breath.
Think to yourself, I'm showing

(17:53):
up in my life.
Sometimes it's harder, sometimes it's
easier, and I'm enough.
Take one last easy breath
in and gently out.

(18:14):
And that's it.
One moment shared to pause,
rest, renew.
Our mental energy can come
back into focus and see
what's possible in our waking
minutes each day.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.

(18:43):
Thank you for tuning into
1,000 Waking Minutes.
A huge thank you to
our amazing collaborators, including our
production and marketing teams, and
Gabriella Escalante in particular.
To the ultra talented Beza
for my theme music, my
lifelong friend and artist, Pearl
Preis Photography and Design.
To Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen,

(19:04):
Joanna Powell, and of course
my family, and everyone working
tirelessly behind the scenes.
And to you, our valued
listeners, I so appreciate your
support.
If you enjoyed today's episode,
please consider leaving a comment,
writing a review, and giving
1,000 Waking Minutes, that's us,
a five star rating.
And please hit subscribe on

(19:26):
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever
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Until next time, find some
simple opportunities to optimize those
1,000 Waking Minutes each day.